The Finnish defense forces announced on Friday that Sweden will deploy Gripen fighter jets and a military corvette to Finland, where they will assist in monitoring and protecting its territory through at least the end of 2026.

The Swedish equipment is intended primarily to strengthen air surveillance and free up Finnish military resources to address potential violations and incidents. Defense Minister Pål Jonson stated that Stockholm had responded to Helsinki's request to strengthen its air defense in light of the deteriorating security situation.

In addition to fighter jets and vessels capable of countering drones, Sweden can also provide ground-based anti-drone systems if necessary.

The two Nordic countries, which are NATO's newest members, already cooperate closely on defense. Finland shares a 1,340-km border with Russia.

Concerns in the region are heightened by military drones that have strayed into the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Some Ukrainian drones missed their targets during attacks on Russian oil ports in the Baltic Sea, triggering security alerts in neighboring countries.

(Reuters, bak)